Magnetic Nanoparticles and Integration Platform

Abstract

The present application provides magnetic nanoparticles, methods of preparing magnetic nanoparticles, and applications employing magnetic nanoparticles. In embodiments, the magnetic nanoparticles contain one or more conformal coatings, including a coating that contains a fluorescent materials, such as upconverting fluorescent materials. In enhanced oil recovery applications, colloidal solution contain nanoparticles having one or more conformal coatings is prepared for use to monitor the productivity of hydrocarbons and water from the reservoir formation penetrated by a well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of preparing a magnetic nanoparticle, comprising:
 providing a nanoparticle core comprising a ferromagnetic material;   heating the nanoparticle core to a temperature above a Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic material;   maintaining the temperature of the nanoparticle core above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic material; and while maintaining the temperature,
 i. depositing a conformal separation layer on the nanoparticle core; 
 ii. depositing a conformal intermediate layer on the conformal separation layer; and 
 iii. depositing a conformal capping layer on the conformal intermediate layer to form the magnetic nanoparticle; and 
   lowering the temperature of the magnetic nanoparticle below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises nickel, cobalt, iron or oxides thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating the nanoparticle core comprises heating to a temperature that is about 5 degrees to about 500 degrees above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the maintaining the temperature comprises maintaining at a temperature that is about 5 degrees to about 500 degrees above the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing the conformal separation layer comprises depositing a silica layer or silicon dioxide layer. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing the conformal intermediate layer comprises depositing a fluorescent layer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the depositing the fluorescent layer comprises depositing a fluorescent upconverting layer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depositing the conformal capping layer comprises depositing a silica layer or silicon dioxide layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing a conformal outer coating on the conformal capping layer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the depositing the conformal outer coating comprises depositing a hydrophilic coating layer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lowering the temperature of the magnetic particle below the Curie temperature of the ferromagnetic material occurs at a rate of about 5 degrees per minute or less. 
     
     
         12 . A magnetic nanoparticle prepared by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle comprising: a core comprising a ferromagnetic material; a conformal separation layer on the ferromagnetic core; a conformal fluorescent layer on the conformal separation layer; and a conformal capping layer on the conformal fluorescent layer. 
     
     
         14 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 , wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises nickel, cobalt, iron or oxides thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 , wherein the conformal separation layer comprises silica or silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         16 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 , wherein the conformal fluorescent layer comprises an upconverting fluorescent material. 
     
     
         17 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 , wherein the conformal capping layer comprises silica or silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         18 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 , further a conformal outer coating on the capping layer. 
     
     
         19 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 18 , wherein the conformal outer coating comprises hydrophobic coating material. 
     
     
         20 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 18 , wherein the conformal outer coating comprises hydrophilic coating material selected from the group of alcohols, carboxylic acid, amine, amide, ester, ether oxide, sulphonate, phosphonate, carboxylates, fluoro benzoic acids, poly-vinylalcohol, methylated carbon, sugars, polyols, polyethylene glycol, gluconamide, succinic acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A method of tracing a magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle in a fluid, comprising:
 a. providing the magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle comprising:
 i. a core comprising a ferromagnetic material; 
 ii. a conformal separation layer on the ferromagnetic core; 
 iii. a conformal fluorescent layer on the conformal separation layer; and 
 iv. a conformal capping layer on the conformal fluorescent layer; 
   b. introducing the magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle into the fluid; and   c. measuring one or more characteristics of the magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle in the fluid.   
     
     
         22 . A colloidal solution comprising nanoparticles prepared by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . A colloidal solution prepared from the magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         24 . The magnetic fluorescent nanoparticle of  claim 13 , wherein the ferromagnetic material is cobalt, the conformal separation layer on the ferromagnetic core comprises any of silica, silicon oxide, and mixtures thereof; the conformal fluorescent layer on the conformal separation layer is a quantum dot layer; and the conformal capping layer on the conformal fluorescent layer comprises any of silica, silicon oxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         25 . A method to recover hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation while monitoring productivity of recovery of hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation, the method comprises:
 providing a wellbore penetrating a hydrocarbon producing zone of a subterranean formation;   providing an injection stream comprising a pre-determined amount of a tracer composition which is any of hydrocarbon soluble, water soluble, and both hydrocarbon soluble and water soluble; and   allowing the tracer composition to be solubilized into fluids produced from the well;   wherein the tracer composition comprises a plurality of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles comprising: a core comprising a ferromagnetic material; a conformal separation layer on the ferromagnetic core; a conformal fluorescent layer on the conformal separation layer; and a conformal capping layer on the conformal fluorescent layer.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles are immobilized in tracer carrier.